From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know! Thirty-five years ago, Bilal Qayyum began working to promote peace and prevent gun violence in Philadelphia. At the time, he says gang-related violence was rampant. In response, he established the Father’s Day Rally Committee, an anti-gun and anti-violence group aiming to counter negative perceptions with positive images of Black men. “During the time when we started the campaign,” said Qayyum, director of the organization. “We realized in our meeting that we all were fathers. And that’s where the name came from.” On the Saturday before Father’s Day in June 1989, about 300 men gathered at Zion Baptist Church in North Philadelphia to hear local speakers highlight the positive work underway in their communities. “We were one of the first groups in this city that actually raised the issue around violence in particular as it relates to the Black community,” Qayyum said. Fast forward to 2024, and while homicides have declined, Qayyum told WHYY News that the proliferation of firearms still threatens public safety. One relatively recent phenomenon is the appearance of “ghost guns,” firearms built from kits or accessible parts and put together by an individual. Federally licensed gun manufacturers must place a serial number on every firearm, so it can be tracked. Ghost guns don’t have serial numbers. The gun-control group Everytown says, “Ghost guns are the fastest-growing gun safety problem facing our country.” Last year, Qayyum’s organization partnered with the Philadelphia Police Department for the city’s gun buyback program, aimed at getting firearms off the streets. “This guy came in and he turned in five ghost guns,” Qayyum said. “This is wild, but the way we do gun buybacks, you turn in the gun, no question asked.” UnitedHealthcare CEO was likely killed with a ghost gun that can be made at home A ghost gun is a firearm without a serial number. Police said Monday that the gun used in last week's shooting of Brian Thompson may have been made with a 3D printer. 4 days ago WHYY News requested data from the Philadelphia Police Department on privately-made weapons from 2020 to Dec. 9, 2024. 3D-printed firearms seized by Philadelphia police. (Philadelphia Police Department) Killing puts ghost guns in spotlight Now, the role of ghost guns is part of the investigation into the murder of UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson . Police believe University of Pennsylvania graduate Luigi Mangione built the firearm used in the killing to ensure it could not be traced. One law enforcement expert says some ghost guns are completely manufactured through 3D printing, and others use 3D-printed components with parts that are available from gun kits. “They combine what is utilized in the 3D printing with the actual parts that are legitimate,” said Randy Sutton, retired lieutenant with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and former patrol officer and detective with the Princeton Police Department in New Jersey. He said new advancements in artificial intelligence pose new challenges. “Technology is wonderful. It creates life-saving and life-changing technologies,” Sutton said. “But on the other hand, it also creates opportunities for those who utilize it for nefarious purposes.” Sutton added that because ghost guns are not regulated, making them go away outright is unrealistic. “There’s not a chance in the world we’re going to ban these weapons. It’s impossible,” Sutton said. “You can make them illegal to possess. But the techno barn door has already been opened.” The Biden administration has aimed to treat these firearms like regular weapons, requiring serial numbers on the parts and mandated background checks. Several states’ Attorneys General have filed lawsuits that are now under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Cour t. Shira Feldman, Director of Constitutional Litigation for the gun violence prevention organization Brady United, calls ghost guns a national threat. “Ghost guns have become weapons of choice for criminals and their proliferation cannot be ignored,” Feldman said in an email. “We’re hopeful the court will side with the safety of American people, but this ultra-conservative court, with a conservative majority solidified by former President [Donald] Trump, has proven that it has no issue ignoring the safety of the American people in favor of gun lobby rhetoric.” Gun rights groups are challenging the proposed rules in the Supreme Court , arguing they violate the Second Amendment. In March, the Pennsylvania House passed a bill to close loopholes in the Uniform Firearms Act and prohibit the purchase, sale and production of the untraceable gun parts used in ghost guns. However, the legislation failed in the state Senate . “I don’t see any legislation passing against ghost guns in the state of Pennsylvania. At least, not in my lifetime,” Qayyum said. New Jersey and Delaware are among 15 states that have laws to regulate these weapons. Get daily updates from WHYY News! The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.Noneus88 。

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture rejected by the United States and Israel. The resolution -- adopted by a vote of 158-9, with 13 abstentions -- urges "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" -- wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month. At that time, Washington used its veto power on the Council -- as it has before -- to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack. It has insisted on the idea of making a ceasefire conditional on the release of all hostages in Gaza, saying otherwise that Hamas has no incentive to free those in captivity. Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood repeated that position Wednesday, saying it would be "shameful and wrong" to adopt the text. Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity." The General Assembly often finds itself taking up measures that cannot get through the Security Council, which has been largely paralyzed on hot-button issues such as Gaza and Ukraine due to internal politics, and this time is no different. The resolution, which is non-binding, demands "immediate access" to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory. Dozens of representatives of UN member states addressed the Assembly before the vote to offer their support to the Palestinians. "Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed," said Slovenia's UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. "History is the harshest critic of inaction." That criticism was echoed by Algeria's deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui, who said: "The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow." Hamas's October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. That count includes hostages who died or were killed while being held in Gaza. Militants abducted 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry that is considered reliable by the United Nations. "Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine," Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the Assembly's special session on the issue. "The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their bellies and no hopes and no horizon for the future, and after having endured pain and loss for more than a year, should haunt the conscience of the world and prompt action to end this nightmare," he said, calling for an end to the "impunity." After Wednesday's vote, he said "we will keep knocking on the doors of the Security Council and the General Assembly until we see an immediate and unconditional ceasefire put in place." The Gaza resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present "proposals on how the United Nations could help to advance accountability" by using existing mechanisms or creating new ones based on past experience. The Assembly, for example, created an international mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed in Syria starting from the outbreak of civil war in 2011. A second resolution calling on Israel to respect the mandate of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allow it to continue its operations was passed Wednesday by a vote of 159-9 with 11 abstentions. Israel has voted to ban the organization starting January 28, after accusing some UNRWA employees of taking part in Hamas's devastating attack. abd/sst/jgc/nro/des

Rest of area schedule 12/2-12/7

This $149 Cyber Monday Discount on the Solo Stove Firepit Might Be Enough to Get Me Outdoors for a ChangeHere’s how the Munster players rated in their 16-14 defeat to Castres at Stade Pierre Fabre. Mike Haley – 4 Conceded an early penalty for holding on, threw the ball into touch and passed the ball forward late on in what was a tough night at the office for the full-back. Calvin Nash – 4 Won two good aerial battles but for the second week running, the winger hardly saw the ball to showcase his attacking threat. Tom Farrell – 4 Largely nullified in attack by his All Black opposite number Jack Goodhue despite making 15 carries. Alex Nankivell – 5 Brought his usual aggression in midfield, while he shifted onto the left wing for the latter stages due to the back-line injuries and a 6/2 bench split. Thaakir Abrahams – 4 Never got going on his return to France, as Munster struggled to get the speedy South African winger into space to cause damage. Forced off with a shoulder injury. Jack Crowley – 4 Held his nerve to slot two conversions, but otherwise it was a difficult night for the out-half, who struggled to get the attack going, while kicked out on the full, missed a shot at goal, and two crucial kicks to touch. Craig Casey – 4 Tried to speed up Munster’s tempo for the 31 minutes he was on the field before he was carried off the pitch with what looked like a serious knee injury. Dian Bleuler – 4 Replaced with a head injury after 21 minutes, the South African loosehead was fortunate not to have been yellow-carded for a no-arms tackle in the same incident. Niall Scannell – 4 Won an early jackal penalty, but the hooker will be frustrated with his role in Munster’s set-pieces struggles and penalty concessions. Stephen Archer – 4 Two high tackles early on summed up a difficult night for the veteran prop. Fineen Wycherley – 4 A missed tackle and penalty concession at a maul was not how he wanted to start the game, and that set the tone for what was to follow. Tadhg Beirne – 5 Played a key role in his side’s second try, the captain tried to lead by example but he was nowhere near his influential best. Peter O’Mahony – 5 Although this was a step down from last weekend’s outstanding display, the Cork man was putting in a big defensive shift until he hobbled off injured. John Hodnett – 6 Munster’s best player on the night, the Rosscarbery native took both of his tries well and was full of work on both sides of the ball. Brian Gleeson – 5 The 20-year-old Tipperary No 8 showed up well on his first Champions Cup start, stopping a certain Castres try and helping Hodnett over for his score before he was replaced early in the second-half. Replacements – 4 On their respective returns from long-term injuries, props Dave Kilcoyne and Oli Jager struggled to solidify the creaky scrum. Paddy Patterson added good energy but ultimately the bench were unable to see out the winning position late on.Eagles Waive WR Parris CampbellAfter-hours movers: Intuit, NetApp, Ross Stores, GAP

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